Cracked Teeth & Extractions
Dental injuries are all challenging, especially when they are unexpected and sudden. A cracked tooth could negatively affect your healthy smile. When it cracks, it could cause immediate sensitivity, depending on its severity. A question often is whether to extract a cracked tooth. Every professional in the dental industry is trained to exercise every possible measure to save a natural tooth, with performing a tooth extraction as the last option if the tooth is beyond repair. The severity of the crack dictates the best treatment, and it is fundamentally incorrect to consider that an extraction is the treatment for a crack without a dental evaluation.
What to Expect from Your Dentist with a Cracked Tooth Appointment
When your tooth does crack, you are likely to encounter an increase in tooth sensitivity. You might also experience some throbbing while biting or chewing, and experience some sensitivity with temperature changes. If the sensitivity continues, you should visit your dentist soon. Before performing any appropriate treatment, there are elements as part of your examination. With your appointment, you can expect your dentist to conduct the following:
- First review and identify the current state of your oral health, as a baseline, and confirm any existing adverse conditions.
- Evaluate and identify the size of the crack in the tooth.
- Determine if there is decay in the tooth.
- Confirm any signs and symptoms of gum disease or infections.
Here are common solutions that will be considered due to the severity of the crack.
- Dental Crown- A ceramic or porcelain crown is customized and placed to protect the tooth from becoming worse. A crack could be so small that it is not readily visible, which is called a craze line, being just a tiny crack in the outer surface only. A dental crown is placed for further protection and to improve aesthetic appearance.
- Root Canal- If your oral health is determined to be normal and the crack is minor, meaning the crack is not near your gums, or the crack is minor, and there are no signs of decay, your dentist may consider root canal treatment. A root canal is a frequent and popular choice if the structure of the natural tooth can be saved. There are some misconceptions about a root canal, like being painful. A root canal is not painful and is an effective way to save the natural tooth and preserve your oral health. The dentist removes infection from the tooth by emptying out the entire pulp chamber, then filling
both the chamber and the roots with a substance and sealing the tooth. A dental crown is often placed to protect it.
- Tooth Extraction- Even though your overall oral health is good, if the crack is indeed significant, like being cracked into two pieces, or if there is decay or you have gum disease, your dentist could suggest a tooth extraction. To perform the tooth extraction, a local anesthetic is administered first to numb the immediate area. The dentist simply uses specific forceps to gently remove the tooth or any pieces from the socket. Your recovery aftercare requires adequate rest for several days so that a blood clot will form and heal.